The Toronto Raptors could trade for Ja Morant. If they want, the Raptors are able to put together a pretty compelling package including Immanuel Quickley, Ochai Abaji, and perhaps a draft pick that would work financially. It would also get the Raptors a star (depending on who you ask) at point guard, and let the Grizzlies part with Morant without fully entering a tank, which seems like the route they prefer.
It would also be a pretty wild move from the Raps, who are rounding into form as a contender in the Eastern Conference. Is this the perfect time to make a move that could propel them to even greater heights, or time to see how this team looks in the postseason before making any drastic changes?
I'm actually asking, because I don't know the answer to that. Right now, I'm leaning toward thinking the Raps should stay the course — but Morant's ceiling is still, after a few troubling years, higher than anyone currently in the Raptors' backcourt.
Plus, I know that trading Immanuel Quickley has become the preferred plan of action for lots of Raptors Nation (although I also think his performance has been a little blown out of proportion), but the idea that he's not contributing to the Raptors' impressive season so far is silly.
Raptors might not need to take a risk on Ja Morant
The NBA moves so quickly that sometimes it feels like teams have to make a deal, even though a lot of the time, not making a deal may be the best course of action. That may be the situation the Raptors are in right now.
Adding Brandon Ingram to this team was a clear sign that the front office believes in the roster. Through one half of a season with this core together, it appears they were correct to believe. This team is good! Maybe in past years, they wouldn't look like a contender in the East, but this is not past years — the East is more open than it has been in at least a decade, and the Raptors making a run in the playoffs is not a far-fetched idea.
Plus, we haven't seen this roster give it a go in the postseason, and making such a drastic change before even giving these guys a chance to show what they can do feels a little unfair. They're performing how fans and the front office wanted them to, so why take such a big risk? Morant is anything but a sure bet right now.